Korean Job Discussion Forums

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

I'm having a lot of trouble with my current lesson plan with my beginner's classes. At the beginning of the week I was attempting to teach them prepositions, like "on", "inside", "over", "under" etc. So I made a powerpoint with some simple demonstrations of each thing. "On top of" had a picture of a shape being on top of another shape. I'd lead into it by saying "the circle is ___________ the square" trying to get them to repeat.

They wouldn't repeat it. When they did say the answer (one word only) they usually said it wrong, even though they were trying very hard. I think I broke their confidence a little bit by correcting them.

When the time came to do a review worksheet, only half were able to do it.

I'm not sure what I should do in this situation. On the one hand, my co-teacher wants me to bring in a big box of stuff I use as visual aides for them, on the other hand, I don't think I should have to because they're High School students. I substituted all of the shape pictures with real pictures, like a cat in a box, a dog on the table, etc. The students are doing better but are still having massive trouble with it.

This goes for a lot of stuff. I find that if I give a worksheet and there is one aspect of it that requires more than simple regurgitation, like it requires some kind of inference, the kids simply won't get it. They can't infer or follow logical patterns outside of what they've been acclimatized to. I don't think this is just a language thing.

I'm trying to figure out what it is. Is it sleep deprivation, lack of motivation or what? In a lot of these cases the students are paying attention and they are trying, yet they still can't get it.

Don't even get me started on making sentences. I've been trying to get them to answer me in full sentences since day one and it just seems like an impossibility. How did they study English for ten years and not learn a basic foundation of sentences to get them by, like: "yes, I understand" or "may I use the washroom?"

If I say "do you understand?" I rarely get an answer. When a student wants to go to the bathroom, they say: "teacher... bath-loom can go?"

Argh.

VanIslander · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject:

beginners' class of HIGH SCHOOL students?

ugh

i've no experience with that

but it's a good idea in general to be more direct, connect with them, can the computer and use realia, things to demonstrate with, asking a ton of "where is...?" questions, animated, acting like you can't find it, make a game of it with two or three students at first, then when they get the hang of it then in groups

prepositions of place is about the easiest lesson to teach (next to numbers) in my experience and i can't imagine one having any difficulties (but i teach elementary aged kids in hagwon classes of 10-12)

and as anyone who has CELTA training knows: NEVER give an explanation: demonstrate, engage, show, interact, elicit

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Yeah. I could read Shakespeare to some of my advanced classes and they'd understand some of it, but the gulf between beginner's and advanced at my school is terribly large.

When I taught a couple of those classes I was using a ball to illustrate my point. I placed it on the desk in a very clear and obvious manner, and asked them where it was in relation to the desk. One said: "ball under!"

Most of the time they just sit and stare even if I am using visual cues. I don't know what to do about them.

EzeWong · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Location: Seoul

Seems like they never taught sentence strucutre here.

It's just like if it was actually a first language for them. They prefer immersion and hope that it soaks into their head.

Anyways, sounds like a toughety of a problem you got.

I'd stick with trying to use: "Teacher is between Lee Hyori and Co-Teacher" (hmmm sandwich)

lmfao,

usually strange and funny things will get them to remember.

A ball on a desk won't do anything for them. But put something like kimchee over a child, or a box of puppies under a truck...

jadarite · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:45 pm Post subject:

Kill two birds with one stone. Get the box out, get the ball, book, pencil, whatever and PUT THE BALL IN THE BOX!!! Next, PUT THE BALL BEHIND THE BOX, PUT THE BALL IN FRONT, etc...

After you demonstrate, get students to come up. They don't have to utter a word, just PUT THE BALL IN THE BOX. After a few guinea pigs have shown the class they don't have to talk, get the class to say together the command. Make it so the person putting the ball in the box can't see a card or some instruction you want to class to have that person do.

Not only will this introduce prepositions, but you will also be using commands.

poet13 · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 4:52 pm Post subject:

I think they're taking the piss, and you got suckered.

7 year olds know in and on.

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

mumblebee · Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Location: Andong

Actuallly, I think locatives are done a bit differently in Korean...we refer to the first object mentioned to describe location...but when I was trying to learn these prepositions in Korean, I got really confused because the locative didn't seem to refer to the first object...I'm not remembering this well...

IncognitoHFX · Joined: 06 May 2007 Location: Yeongtong, Suwon

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

I wouldn't focus on getting the students to be able to say "The ball is in the box," because in daily life we rarely use such a structure. If it's real communication you're going for, teach them:

A: "Where's the ball?"

B: "In the box."

A: "Where's the cat?"

B: "On top of the stove."

etc.

Everyone should be able to ask "Where's the ____?"

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Lower-level academic HS students, who really shouldn't be academic students (at least for English), can actually be some of the most frustrating to teach. In a class mixed with higher-level students they usually just do their best to be anonymous and in a class seperated into low-level students you get a mix of students who may try but really don't have much aptitude and students who are in bit because they don't care about English anymore; they don't see the point in remedial learning.

I've now been following a number of such students through three years of schooling and it's kind of depressing. I can think of two students in particular who are now in grade 1 HS whom I've been teaching since grade 1 MS (I work at a combined middle & high school). Lately it's been a bloody nuissance to force them to do anything in my class. But then I see their latest mid-term results (one got 20% and the other 21% on a multiple-choice test with five possible answers) and think, well, if I can at least get them to do more in my class than they will on a bloody mid-term, I guess I'm accomplishing a little.

jadarite · Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject:

"I guess I'm accomplishing a little"

At least you aren't accomplishing a too much.

Rusty Shackleford · Joined: 08 May 2008

Every week for 25 weeks. "Open your book." End result, 36 blank stares.

Easter Clark · Joined: 18 Nov 2007 Location: Hiding from Yie Eun-woong

Illysook · Joined: 30 Jun 2008

I've got this phonics book that has instructions like: circle the words that begin with M. The kids don't understand the words "begins with" or "ends with" I've been trying different things every day to teach these two concepts...."okay everyone, get in a line!" and "the alphabet begins with the letter A" None of this seems to be working.